Moving often unwieldy trash cans is a common chore, not only to those who are employed to do so, but also to homeowners. Consequently, many carts, dollies and other devices have been designed with a mind to making this often strenuous and unpleasant task easier and more convenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,919 (Greenheck, Aug. 1, 1978) describes a dolly which may be used for moving trash cans. The dolly described in this patent has a mainly square platform with caster wheels at each of the corners. The capped shafts of four bolts extend up through the platform in order to prevent a cylindrical trash can placed on the platform from sliding off to one side. The bolts are arranged at a first radial distance from the center of the platform. The bolts may, however, be moved to a second set of holes in the platform which are located at a smaller radial distance from the center. In this way, the dolly is able to accommodate only cylindrical trash cans of two different but nonetheless specific sizes.
The Greenheck device illustrates two of the most serious drawbacks of prior art trash can transporters. First, because there are only two positions for the bolts, trash cans which are to be loaded onto the dolly may only have one of two diameters. The limited adjustability of the Greenheck dolly therefore also limits its usefulness. Second, since the bolts which secure the dolly extend only a short distance above the surface of the platform, trash cans are liable to tip over and fall off the dolly, especially when being moved over rough areas such as curbs or over inclined surfaces such as many driveways.
An additional problem with using bolts to secure the trash can is that each bolt provides only a point contact with the surface of the trash can. Because of the poor holding ability of the short bolts in the Greenheck patent, the Greenheck dolly is not suitable for being linked together with other dollies to form a train to allow moving several trash cans at once. Furthermore, the Greenheck dolly is wholly unsuitable for trash cans which do not have circular bottoms.
Other texts which describe transporters, dollies, carts, etc., which may in some cases be used for trash cans, are:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,219 (Wilson, Jun. 3, 1975);
U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,959 (Fontana, Aug. 27, 1974);
U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,391 (Pelletier, Jul. 15, 1958);
U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,085 (Fralick, Apr. 9, 1961);
U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,535 (Longato, Apr. 10, 1973);
U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,755 (Baron, Oct. 16, 1962);
U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,271 (Saeli, Dec. 31, 1957);
U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,207 (Bard, Apr. 24, 1962);
U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,561 (Bittle, Mar. 29, 1960); and
British Patent No. GB1602-436 (Rose, Nov. 1981).
Each of these prior art transporters either fails to adjust to trash cans of different sizes and shapes, fails to hold the can securely, especially when moving over rough or slanted surfaces, is unsuitable for connection to other transporters to form a train, and/or is complicated and expensive to manufacture, operate or adjust.
It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide a trash can transporter which is easy to manufacture and handle, which is easily and continuously adjustable to accommodate trash cans of different sizes and shapes, which holds trash cans securely, even when rolling over rough or inclined surfaces, and which is suitable for connection in series to form a train for moving several trash cans at once.